#Klaine Advent: Deputy/Paper

[saywhatjessie]

Deputy Blaine

Klaine Advent: Day 4 - Deputy/Paper (Ao3)

“Hi!”

Kurt looked up, startled, to find a very cute boy smiling at him.

He had dark curly hair, styled in waves up and off his forehead. He wore a navy blue button up, tucked into washed cuffed shorts, short sleeves rolled over his defined biceps. His legs led down to an unfortunate pair of boat shoes but back up underneath his face was a charming white bow tie.

And what a face. A jawline like ‘whoa’ – not really sharp but broad and strong, softened by the wide smile dominating his face. The only thing that could possibly distract from such a smile would be his eyes, bright and friendly as fresh honey.

Kurt smiled back at this frankly beautiful boy. Then his eyes registered the clipboard the beautiful boy was holding and his smile faltered.

“Hi! Are you registered to vote here in Austin?”

Kurt let out a long sigh, lowering his phone to the table. He sent a soft look to this guy.

“Hi! No, I’m not.”

The guy’s smile turned up even brighter. “Great! Well, I can get you registered right now so you’re good to vote this November.” He turned his clipboard to Kurt, pushing it into his hands. “Just fill out everything that’s highlighted.”

Kurt took the clipboard more out of instinct than anything. He figured that was probably part of the training – physically handing the person the form to make sure they fill it out.

Kurt looked over the paper, already knowing he wouldn’t be filling it out. He was just visiting, he couldn’t register here when he doesn’t live here.

But Kurt supported the cause and this guy was cute.

Kurt smiled at him, laying the clipboard delicately on the table. “Who are you with?”

“I’m with NewGrade! We’re a non-partisan political organization trying to mobilize youth voters.”

Kurt laughed, teasingly. “Well, I can already tell you’re not non-partisan. Republicans don’t want young people voting.”

The guy smile back, sheepishly. “We are tad… progressive.”

Kurt laughed again. The guy blushed. It was cute.

“What’s your name?” Kurt asked, tilting his head in what he hoped was an enticing way.

The guy reached his hand out, face very open and friendly but not particularly enticed. “My name’s Blaine.”

Kurt took his hand, taking a moment to appreciate the rough firmness of his hands before answering. “Kurt.”

Kurt looked meaningfully at the chair across from him. “Care to have a seat, Blaine?”

Blaine hesitated for just a second before pulling his smile back and taking a seat.

“I’ll be straight with you, Blaine,” Kurt started before snorting and rolling his eyes at himself. “Well, not straight. I’m never straight. But I’ll be up front.”

Blaine laughed, his shoulders losing some tension. He rested his elbows on the table.

“I can’t register to vote. I don’t live here – I’m visiting from New York as part of my grad program.”

Blaine deflated a little but his customer service smile came right back. “Well are you registered in New York?”

“Of course I am, Blaine. I’m gay.”

Blaine laughed again at that but his eyes still looked disappointed.

“Do you have a quota or something, Blaine?”

Blaine sighed, sinking a little further onto his elbows. “Kind of. I’m an organizer, which just means I’m supposed to get volunteers to do my work for me. But my volunteers suck, so I have to get 8 voter registration by the end of their shift.”

Kurt had absolutely no context for whether or not 8 was a lot. He figured when it came to walking up to random strangers in coffee shops it must be.

“Well when’s the end of their shift?”

Blaine checked his watch. “In like an hour and a half.”

“And how many do you have now?”

“Six.”

“Oh,” Kurt scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. “You’ve got plenty of time! For two more?” He scoffed again.

Blaine nodded but blew out a tired breath. “Yeah, but I wanted to do better than 8. Why do what you can overdo, you know?”

Kurt’s mouth quirked up. That was a motto he could get behind.

“I don’t disagree.”

Blaine smiled back, a smaller but more genuine expression than Kurt had seen so far.

“So, how did you get into this?”

Blaine shrugged, looking at his hands. “Grew up in a small town in Ohio. When I volunteered to work polls in 2016 they told me how I could become more involved. I applied for this job and they shipped me out here.”

Kurt nodded, his eyebrows hiked high. “Where in Ohio?”

Blaine winced. “Westerville? It’s near–”

“No shit!” Kurt smacked the table. “You call that small? You’re right by Columbus! Try Lima, now that was small.”

Blaine brightened a bit his eyebrows like triangles hiking up his forehead. “You grew up in Lima? I sang against your glee club!”

Kurt grinned back. “Yeah! So, I mean, hey, Austin’s better than there, right?”

Blaine nodded, but sank back down anyway. “Yeah, it is.”

Kurt leaned forward, poking Blaine in the forehead. “Then why the sad face?”

Blaine blinked, a little startled at the contact, but smiled, sheepishly, rolling his eyes.

“Well, to start, Texas has some of the most awful registration laws of any state. You can’t just print out a registration form and mail it in. You need someone deputized to present it to you.”

Kurt’s eyebrows lifted nearly off his face, his mouth spread into a grin. “Are you telling me you’re a deputy.”

Blaine nodded, miserably.

Kurt put on an affected southern accent. “Well there, I didn’t see a shiny badge on ya! How’m I supposed to know you ain’t one of them city slickers.”

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Yeah.” Blaine paused as Kurt laughed at himself but continued, “And in addition to those jokes, a deputization only counts in one county. Which means I can’t register someone in Dallas even though it’s the same form. And every volunteer I recruit has to be deputized, too. It’s a nightmare.”

Kurt reached forward and patted Blaine’s hands in comfort. Blaine let his happen, looking at Kurt with a curious glint in his eye.

“I’m sorry, Blaine. That sounds rough. I wish I could help!”

Blaine kept looking at him, curiously. “Well… do you know of any better spots where I might get people to register?”

Kurt held up his hands. “Hey, man, I told you: I’m just visiting.” Kurt lowered his hands again, tipping his head in thought. “But, actually, there’s a club meeting happening at the ASFD commons I was invited to. I’m sure not all of those students updated their registration when they moved for school.”

Blaine’s eyes brightened again, his elbows coming off the table as he sat straight up. “Yeah? Do you think you could bring me?”

“That depends,” Kurt looked at him, tilting his head enticingly again. Blaine seemed to be a scoche more enticed. “Will you get coffee with me after?”

Blaine blushed, but nodded.

Kurt grinned, standing up and grabbing his empty mug. “Well then, let’s go. Democracy waits for no one.”

[klaineadvent]

[worldoflis]

4. Deputy / Paper

A/N Due to time constraints, a shorter chapter today. Is there such a thing as a deputy prop maker? Would NYADA students even bother with prop making? Will the boys meet soon? All excellent questions, to which I have no answer. I AM having fun though, so at least that’s scratched off the list.

1. Athlete / snowman // 2. Bury / Cinnamon //  3. Camera / Candle

Kurt is exhausted when he turns the key to get into the loft he shares with Rachel. At least Rachel isn’t home yet, which means he has a little time to sit down and relax.

He drops his bag on the table, grabbing a drink from the fridge before dragging himself to the couch, groaning a little when he sees the dented paper mache turkey in front of him.

Technically the turkey isn’t even his responsibility. He’s already got an onstage part in their sophomore play, and while it’s not strictly speaking a main part he’s got his share of lines and stage time, so honestly he’s not exactly swimming in free time. But ever since he’d added a few little props to his costume for one of their freshman year performances, he’d built up a little reputation as a prop whiz, and so for this play he’d been promptly promoted to deputy prop maker.

The title came with a little extra credit and in between all the History and Dance and Acting classes Kurt actually genuinely enjoyed being able to get a little crafty from time to time. But the turkey that lays ruined in front of him had cost him several hours to make, and he honestly didn’t know what would be faster: fixing it, or just starting over.

He sighed, not for the first time cursing the freshman who’d run straight into him -and the turkey- the day before. He understood - he really did. It had only been a year since he’d been a freshman, and he remembered very well how stressfull it could be. There were reasons, after all, why there was only 14 sophomores left in his group, out of 20 who’d started the first year.

Still, it was frustrating to have to start over, and he wished he could ask Rachel if she knew who’d run him over. Not like Kurt could give a detailed description of the perpetrator, but surely there were only so many guys in her class with -terrible, oh so terrible- gelled down hair and -very adorable- bowties. But Rachel had come home the day prior fuming, due to some assignment involving cameras and duets for which she had been paired with Cronut Critter, and it had been absolutely impossible to steer the conversation in any other direction.

He sighed. Whoever it was that had caused the damage, he was the one who had to fix it. And so he got up, looking around to see where he’d left his craft supplies and newspapers. He had a turkey to make.

4. Exclude / Ribbon

[andersonswalsh]

Fic: A Thousand Miles From Comfort (for Klaine Advent Day 4/24)

Guys, writing is hard. This is short but it’s Blam goodness.

Day 4: Deputy/Paper | Day 3 | Day 5 | AO3

When it came time to plan Sam’s bachelor party he had two requests of Blaine: go somewhere with lots of snow, and invite all the New Directions guys--Kurt included.

Blaine never expected Kurt to accept the invitation. He was never close with any of the other glee guys except Finn, plus Mercedes is still one of his closest friends and even if she’s dating someone, Blaine figured Kurt would decline out of loyalty to her. But in the end Puck (who is currently stationed in Germany) and Artie (who claimed he had other obligations but Blaine thinks he didn’t want to come and not do anything) were the only ones to say no. And mingling with Sam’s model friends has been fun.

Kurt is hanging out at a table talking to Ryder and one of the models. He’s the only one who is nursing a Diet Coke rather than alcohol, and Blaine doesn’t blame him. He just wishes he had the same resolve.

He goes to the bar to get a third beer when a hand claps him on the shoulder. “There’s my best man!”

Blaine turns around and sees Sam is farther gone. “What’s up?” he asks.

Sam shrugs, setting his whiskey on the bar. “Not much. Haven’t seen you much at all this weekend. You and Kurt have fun?”

“We did.” He pays for his beer and thanks the server. “Sorry I’ve bailed on everything.”

“Nah, don’t be. You’re my best man, my deputy in charge. Everything this weekend has been incredible.”

Blaine eyes him skeptically. “Is deputy in charge even a thing?”

“I say it is,” Sam grins. “Josie’s been calling her maid of honor her lady in charge.”

“You two are so weird, and so meant for each other.” Blaine takes a swig of his beer. “So what’s next? You have three weeks to go until the big day, huh?”

“Mmhmm,” Sam hums. “We’re supposed to pick up our marriage license on Thursday. I think that’s what’s finally making this whole thing real, you know? This one sheet of paper is going to change our lives forever.”

Blaine suddenly has a newfound interest in the label on his bottle as he begins scratching at a corner of it. “Yeah, wild,” he says softly.

Sam throws an arm around Blaine. “Hey, look at me.” Blaine glances up at his best friend. “I know you feel like you’re missing out because Nathaniel broke up with you when you thought he was the one. But look at you. You’re only twenty-six, you’re attractive enough for a straight guy like me to notice, you’re a teacher who instructs one of the most important subjects anyone should know, and you’re the best damn performer I’ve met not named Rachel Berry. Sooner or later you’ll have him, and you’ll be the one getting married.”

Blaine feels his heart sink and he searches the room for Kurt, still at his table with Brent. “Yeah,” he says, “you’re right. It will happen when I least expect it.”

[honeysucklepink]

Side Effects May Include (COMPLETE)

Summary: Five times Kurt took Ambien (and the resulting stories his friends tell), and one time he didn’t need to. A Klaine Advent 2018 adventure!

Final chapter! Thanks for reading! Most of this is going under a “Read More” … for reasons.

Also on AO3 (link goes to beginning)

Part 1 (Athlete, Bury, Camera, Deputy): Rachel’s Story

Part 2 (Exclude, Feed, Gradual, House + bonus Candle, Ribbon, Light): Santana’s Story

Part 3 (Incident, Joke, Kidnap, Language + bonus Cinnamon, Star, Eggnog): Sam’s Story

Part 4 (Momentum, Negligence, Orange, Pledge + bonus Festival, Ornament): Mercedes’s Story

Part 5 (Quantity, Realism, Stay, Transaction + bonus Snowman, Paper, Gift, Candy Cane, Turkey, Tree): Blaine’s Story

Part 6 (Understand, Vegetarian, Wire, Yoke + bonus Latkes, Chimney, Mistletoe, Stocking, Wreath, Nutcracker, Solstice, Carol, Gingerbread, Santa): Kurt’s Story (or how he realized he didn’t need the Ambien)

Six months later…

“Kurt? Blaine? Latkes are ready!”

Rachel had finally figured out how to cook a few things without burning down the loft, nearly all of them vegetarian, of course. After a few attempts at latkes that were more like burnt potato pucks, she had been determined to get them right in time for the first night of Hanukkah.

Well, at least she finally got them right under the wire, in time for the last night.

“It looks great, Rachel,” Blaine said, taking a seat at the table as Rachel brought out the bowls of sour cream and applesauce, while flipping an extra light with her elbow. It was already getting darker earlier as they approached the Winter Solstice.

“And the smoke alarm only went off once!” Kurt sat next to his fiance and admired the plate of fried potato goodness Rachel set before them. “Wow, Rach, they actually do look great!”

“And I will have you know they taste just as good, at least the one I bit into just now. Not quite like my dads’s but I followed the Bon Appetit recipe to the letter!”

They all served themselves and tucked in, conversation slowing to murmurs of “oh wow these are good,” and “holy crap I’m impressed” (and maybe an unspoken thought of “I hope she didn’t give us food poisoning”).

Rachel looked across the table and suddenly jumped up, her fork clanging off her plate. “Is that the time? Shoot!” She abruptly left the table and ran to her room.

“Rach, what is it?” Kurt was concerned.

“Rupert is having a holiday party tonight, and I lost track of time! He wanted to have a big get-together before the Boston tryout starts this weekend,” she said, poking her head out of the curtain while pulling her sweater over her head.

“But you went through the trouble of actually making dinner for Hanukkah!” Kurt said.

“He’s not exactly observant...or now that I think about it even Jewish,” her voice softened as she went back behind the curtain.

Moments later Rachel came out of her room in cocktail attire, hopping on one foot as she slipped on her other shoe. “Can you put the food away for me? I’m already dressed and I don’t want to get oil on my clothes; I know you understand, right Kurt? And don’t wait up, from what some of the cast whose worked with him before told me these things can run pretty late. Bye!” And with that she slammed the door of the loft, the wreath they had just hung swinging precariously close to falling off.

With that, Kurt and Blaine decide to finish what was on their plates. They ate in comfortable silence, then got up to clean up and put the leftovers away. Kurt was humming cheerfully under his breath.

“Kurt? Why are you in such a good mood? Normally you’d be pissed you had to clean up after Rachel.”

Kurt smiled. “Because with Rachel out at a cast party that she just said can ‘run pretty late,’ and Sam spending the night at Artie’s dorm for an all-night Call of Duty tournament, we have the loft to ourselves.”

“Oh my God, finally,” Blaine breathed and immediately surged into Kurt’s space for a heated kiss, dishes forgotten.

After several minutes of making out, Kurt was the first to come up for air. “So, what do you wanna do first?”

Blaine smirked. “Well, I know the original plan was to watch Yentl with Rachel, but I know something that will be much more fun to watch.”

***

“I can’t believe we’re watching cheesy Christmas porn,” Kurt mumbled into Blaine’s shoulder. They were sitting on their bed in their underwear, the laptop sitting on their outstretched thighs, logged onto PornHub and clicking on a link for Twas the Night Before XXXmas. It had either been this or a parody of A Christmas Carol, but the giant breasts on the thumbnail for that one were a red flag. As the video began to play, the narration revealed itself to be downright cringeworthy.

Twas the night before Triple X-mas, and all through the frat Not a creature was fucking, not even a gym rat Stockings were hung on their chimneys with care, In hopes that Stud Nicholas soon would be there

“Yeeeaaaah, those aren’t chimneys those stockings are hanging from,” Kurt said.

“True, but they are ‘hung,’ so to speak.”

The pledges cocks’ nestled snug in their bros’ behinds, And visions of go-go boys danced in their minds; While Devon in his harness, and I with my flog, Had just settled in with a lubed up Yule log.

“Why does that Devon guy look familiar?” Kurt asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Blaine said. “But that other one is Angel, I’ve seen him in some stuff. Reminds me of you...but not as hot.”

When out on the lawn, I heard the crash of a truck And I sprang from the bed and yelled “what the fuck?” Away to the door I ran with my nutcracker, Ready to dominate my coming attacker.

“Wow, they are trying to fit in every kind of Christmas pun, aren’t they?” Kurt snarked. The script was both atrocious and somewhat clever, but no one watched this stuff for the script.

A full moon reflected off the new-fallen snow And lit up another “moon” tangled in mistletoe, Face down, ass up, was a figure so amazing, It made my cock harder and got Devon salivating.

When he finally arose and I saw his huge dick, I knew in a moment it must be Stud Nick. The full view of his body; I very nearly came, And then he started to call out my bros by name;

"Yo, Brayden, hey, Cayden, hey, Topher and Brent! Get on Cody and Caleb, and on Dylan and Clint! Get down here this minute, if you want my advice; I’ll yoke you together and see who’s naughty or nice!"

“Plot twist--they’re all naughty. Very, very naughty,” Blaine drawled out to Kurt. But Kurt had stopped listening to the dialogue, which was honestly some of the worst writing he’d ever heard, even for a porn. But his dick...well his dick apparently had no taste. In spite of himself and the awful script he was getting extremely turned on, and his cock was swelling in his briefs. He pressed the heel of his hand to his groin, which apparently did not go unnoticed by Blaine.

“Kurt...is that what I think it is?” Blaine asked in a voice that Kurt knew meant he knew damn well what it was.

“Shut up, like your cock hasn’t been jostling the other side of the laptop.” Kurt picked up the device and moved it over, the beginnings of a Yuletide orgy emanating from its speakers. He crossed his leg over and nestled himself in Blaine’s lap, their cocks rubbing against each other through their briefs. “So, what are you in the mood for tonight?”

“I can’t really decide,” Blaine said, grabbing Kurt’s ass with both hands as Kurt gently rocked against him. “Is it greedy that I want a little of both?”

Kurt’s lips curled up, as he leaned in for a kiss and smiled against Blaine’s mouth. “I think someone has actually been very good this year. You may have landed on the Naughty List last year, but this time you are so on the Nice List. So yes, you can have both...if I get to choose who goes first. And I really wanna fuck you right now.”

“Yes, Santa,” Blaine said, reaching over to get the lube from the nightstand as Kurt put the laptop back on the desk. When he turned around Blaine had already stripped off his underwear, and was on his back with his legs spread. He looked so wanton Kurt thought he’d cum right there. Blaine offered up the lube, a silent ‘I’ll let you do the honors’ unspoken between them.

Kurt warmed the lube between his fingers and then circled Blaine’s hole with them, reveling in Blaine’s little vocalizations...his moans, his sighs, that little hitch and yelp when Kurt hit a particularly sensitive spot. His cock practically bounced in delight at those sounds, and soon Kurt’s mouth was watering. He leaned in, his thumbs holding Blaine open, and pressed in his tongue, breathing Blaine in through all five of his senses...tasting him, smelling him, the sight of his beautiful dark cock bobbling above him, the feel of his hole fluttering around his tongue, the sound of Blaine calling Kurt’s name, begging for him to fuck him already.

Kurt rose to his knees and lubed up his cock, then began to press into the tight heat of Blaine, assisted with lube and his own saliva. About midway in, he heard: “yeah, baby, shove that yule log up my chimney.”

Kurt stopped, to Blaine’s vocal protest. “What the fuck was that? Please tell me that was the video.”

“Um, yes?” Blaine said, his voice betraying his desperate need. Kurt quirked an eyebrow. “Okay, no. It was an improvisation?”

“Let’s leave the Christmas puns to the professionals,” Kurt said, feigning a semblance of control, as Blaine squeezed around his cock. “I just want to fuck my fiance’s brains out.” With that he plunged the last few inches into Blaine, drawing out a gasp followed by a long, guttural moan.

“Uh, God, move,” Blaine said, pushing at Kurt’s ass with the heels of his feet as his legs were wrapped around him. “I just wanna feel you for days after this.” Kurt rocked into him slowly at first, then steadily picked up speed as the pressure began to build deep down in his groin. They fucked like this for a good while, Blaine pulling at the sheets and at Kurt until he was brushing that spot deep inside him, more and more the sparks became flames, until--”oh God...oh God...K-Kuuuuuuurt! Ahhhhhh…” Blaine was cumming hard, jerking beneath Kurt as spurts of white shot across his belly and his ass clutched Kurt’s cock like a vise.

“Oh my God, Blaine!” Kurt shouted, as Blaine’s grip pulled his orgasm out of him, and he spilled into Blaine, holding tight against him and grinding into him until he was completely spent. He slipped out, smiling at the little bit of cum dribbling out of Blaine’s hole for a moment, before going to get a wet washcloth to clean them both up. The video had long ended and something called “Fisty the Snowman” threatened to cue up, so he closed the laptop.

When he came back he expected to find Blaine sleeping, but instead was surprised to see Blaine lazily stroking his cock to hardness again. “Blaine, already?”

“I told you I was greedy, Kurt,” he said, crooking his finger in a come hither gesture with his unoccupied hand. “Now come over here, it’s your turn.”

***

The next morning, Kurt woke up, feeling sore in all the right places but also refreshed, like it was the best, deepest, most solid sleep he had gotten in ages, since even high school. He looked over to his nightstand at the clock and realized he had slept exactly eight hours.

Blaine snuffled next to him and turned over, his eyes blinking open. “Good morning.”

“Good morning sleepyhead,” Kurt smiled, kissing Blaine on the forehead. “Want coffee?”

“We always want coffee,” Blaine said, starting to get up.

“No, you stay, I’ll make it. Funny enough though, I don’t feel like I need it this morning.”

Blaine sat up at that. “Kurt Hummel, not needing coffee? I am in the right universe, right?”

“Yes, you are,” Kurt smiled. “I’m gonna go make your coffee and then get dressed, I have a quick errand to run.”

And after he showered, and dressed, and kissed coffee-flavored lips with a whispered “See you later, love you,” he picked up the rest of the Ambien that had been gathering dust in the bathroom. He then walked down to Duane Reade to drop it in the “Safe Medication Disposal” kiosk, picking up a box of gingerbread cronuts for Blaine on the way back.

Kurt didn’t need the Ambien anymore. Having Blaine back in his arms and his bed was all he needed for a restful sleep.

[honeysucklepink]

Side Effects May Include

Summary: Five times Kurt took Ambien (and the resulting stories his friends tell), and one time he didn’t need to. A Klaine Advent 2018 adventure!

Yay, we get to Blaine’s story! This is the longest chapter yet (and since it takes place during “Glee, Actually” it’s where a lot of the holiday prompt words ended up).

Also on AO3 (link goes to beginning)

Part 1 (Athlete, Bury, Camera, Deputy): Rachel’s Story

Part 2 (Exclude, Feed, Gradual, House + bonus Candle, Ribbon, Light): Santana’s Story

Part 3 (Incident, Joke, Kidnap, Language + bonus Cinnamon, Star, Eggnog): Sam’s Story

Part 4 (Momentum, Negligence, Orange, Pledge + bonus Festival, Ornament): Mercedes’s Story

Part 5 (Quantity, Realism, Stay, Transaction + bonus Snowman, Paper, Gift, Candy Cane, Turkey, Tree): Blaine’s Story

Kurt stomped out of the choir room, down the hall, out of the building, and into his rental car, slamming the driver’s side door hard. Blaine was right behind him, jumping into the passenger seat. Kurt took two deep, cleansing breaths as he sat in the parking lot, then: “I don’t think I have been that humiliated in my entire life, and that includes junior prom!”

“Kurt, at least she didn’t give any real details. She just said she caught us, she didn’t say how.”

“I can’t believe she never told me! If she did I could have explained to her what happened. That you came over to talk right after I had sent that text, and the Ambien made me all clingy and... you know, and one thing led to another.”

“Yes, and you warned me about the side effects, and then you gave me your full consent to follow through with anything you happened to start. I appreciated that by the way. Not just the permission to have sex part, but that you trusted me with that.”

“Yes, but still between that and Santana’s little stroll down memory lane the whole glee club thinks I’m some...some... sex maniac!”

“I’m sure she didn’t really mean to. Santana goaded her, and it was like those episodes of Law and Order where the witness finally breaks under pressure. I guarantee she feels worse about it than you do.”

Right on cue, Kurt received a text notification:

I’m SO sorry boo! I have no excuses. Please come back in!

You know how Santana is, she gets under your skin like a splinter

Kurt sighed. He tapped out a response:

Give me a few minutes. I just need to calm down so I don’t slap the hell out of Santana when I go back in there.

He put his phone up on his dash, and Blaine reached for his hand. “Told you. Now, while we’re alone, without any prying ears...do you want to hear my Ambien story?”

“Ugh, Blaine, don’t…”

“No, no, it’s not an embarrassing sex story or anything, I promise!” Kurt relaxed in his seat.

“Okay, so what’s it about?”

“It’s about the first time I knew, really knew that we would be okay in the end.”

Blaine couldn’t believe that he was in New York again. He felt downright awful that his first real experience with Kurt in the city had ended in disaster. But after their talk at Thanksgiving, and now that he was here with Burt, the one man who loved Kurt more than he did, he only hoped that he wouldn’t leave as brokenhearted as the last time.

“Okay, Anderson, so here’s the deal,” Burt said. “I’m gonna head over to the loft, pick up the tree on the way there, then take Kurt to see the Rockettes. I hate to leave you here by yourself, you sure you’ll be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, Burt, thank you. Besides my parents got me a ticket to see A Christmas Story. And I have enough cash for a taxi. I’ll be back here in time for your text.”

“And you know where the skating rink is?”

“Yes,” Blaine confirmed. How could he forget, it was at the same location where everything fell apart. It wasn’t the Auglaize River, but maybe their new beginning would be at some other beginning’s end (he’s pretty sure there was a song about that).

“Okay.” Burt looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. “Damnit I hate that I’m about to cheer him up and then break his heart in one night. But I couldn’t tell him this news over the phone. He deserves to hear it from the old man in person.”

Burt was voicing the vague sense of deja vu Blaine already felt. He stood up and put his hand on Burt’s shoulder. “You said it was caught early, right? Assure him of that and it’ll be fine.”

“And if it’s not, you’re my back-up plan.”

“I really don’t know…”

Burt turned to face Blaine. “Hey, I know my kid. We talked after Thanksgiving, and he couldn’t stop saying how good it was to hear your voice. He wants to see you. I wouldn’t have brought you if I didn’t think so. Now give me a good luck hug before I go.”

Hours later, Blaine was back in the hotel after the show and stage door, plus a quick double check of the skate rental at Bryant Park. He was sucking errantly on a candy cane , one of a small quantity handed out at the hotel front desk, when his phone buzzed, as Burt’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hi Burt.”

“He’s on his way. Good luck, kid.”

***

The following day, on Christmas, Burt finalized the hotel check-out transaction , after confirming with Kurt that it was okay for Blaine to stay at the loft with them. Burt had even offered to go buy a turkey , but Kurt insisted it would take all day to prepare (in actuality, he still had bad flashbacks to Rachel and Brody from Thanksgiving) and what they had at the loft was fine. They spent the day inside, finishing the tree decorations, prepping all the dishes for dinner that evening, and watching the NBA games while everything was in the oven. After dinner, gift exchange, and the Doctor Who Christmas special (Blaine would certainly have nightmares about snowmen that night), they put all the used wrapping paper in the recycling and got ready for bed.

Burt was the one to ask. “Kurt, what you taking there? You’re not coming down with anything, are you?”

“No, Dad,” he said. “It’s Ambien, I take it to help me sleep.”

“Since when do you have trouble sleeping?”

Kurt glanced at Blaine, then looked down. “Um, since, eh, shortly after starting at Vogue.com. Crazy hours there, messed with my regular sleep schedule.” Blaine wasn’t convinced.

Burt frowned. “Well, be careful and don’t get dependent on it or anything, okay? I’ve read about some crazy side effects, like people getting up in the middle of the night and mowing their lawn, stuff like that.”

“I promise, Dad, nothing weird will happen. Do you see any lawns around here?”

After some discussion, it was decided Blaine would sleep on the couch. Burt had already slept in Rachel’s room one night and was addicted to her memory foam, and Blaine still had bad memories of the last time he and Kurt had shared a bed (mostly how he woke up to find Kurt’s side empty). With a good pile of pillows and blankets, they all settled in for the night.

It was about an hour in that Blaine was jostled out of sleep by someone trying to get under the blankets with him. He blinked his eyes open, trying to adjust his vision to the miniscule amount of light coming from the window and realized it was Kurt.

“Scoot over, ‘wanna snuggle,” he said in a weird tone of voice. Kurt was kneeling over him, his eyes still shut...was he sleepwalking?

Blaine had heard somewhere that you shouldn’t try to wake someone who was sleepwalking unless there was an immediate danger. Still, Blaine didn’t quite know how to feel about this. Maybe he could still talk to him? “Kurt, maybe you should go back to your own bed.”

“Bed too big, it swallows me whole, like a big whale. Now move over Rachel.”

Oh. Kurt thought it was Rachel, that explained it. Damn himself for getting his hopes up; maybe it was time to accept the realism of him and Kurt remaining...just friends. Still, a sleepwalking Kurt was apparently a force to be reckoned with, so he adjusted to as far to the back of the couch as possible to make room for Kurt, who stretched out and flung his arm around Blaine’s waist.

He thought they would go back to sleep and the talking would stop, except: “I miss Blaine so much.”

It was slurred, and rambling, but Kurt continued, Blaine practically holding his breath. “I’m not mad he cheated anymore, just sad. I did exactly what he was afraid I would do, I let New York overwhelm me, with all these new friends and new job and new everything and new new new. I guess I have to take some of the blame.”

It took all the will Blaine had to not sob at that. “No you don’t,” he barely whispered, afraid of waking him. “I should have been stronger. I should have befriended Sam and Tina and everyone sooner, I should have prepared myself better.”

“I want to get back together with him someday is that stupid?” Kurt mumbled. “I know, Rachel, there’s a thousand men in New York, the Big Apple’s my oyster, blah blah blah. Maybe I’ll date someone here.” Blaine thought his heart would shatter right then. “But they’ll never be Blaine.”

And it was then that the cracks in Blaine’s heart began to heal. “Blaine will always be the love of my life, Rach. I know you think you have it all figured out and are all mature because of Brody, but listen,” and he started to shake Blaine’s shoulder...right, still thinks he’s Rachel for some reason. “When you find true love it works out. We’ll work it out. We’ll...someday…”

Kurt’s hand relaxed and fell, and soon he began to loudly snore. It was music to Blaine’s ears.

“Wait a minute,” Kurt said, back in the car in the McKinley parking lot. “I woke up in my own bed that morning.”

“I know; when I woke up you were gone, and I had the couch to myself again. Burt and I were in enough of a rush to get to the airport, I didn’t get a chance to get you alone and talk about it. And then...there just didn’t seem like a right time, until so much was happening in our lives it was just another anecdote buried among so many others.”

“I’m sorry, Blaine. I don’t remember saying any of that. God, I must have said it to Rachel at some point though.” Kurt threw his head back against the headrest. “Ugh, she probably kept it from me because she loved the misguided idea of us being a couple of singles finding romance in New York, or something.”

“Well, she was right, in a way.” Kurt looked at Blaine quizzically. “We did find it. I thought the cuddling and the declaration of love was pretty romantic. Even if you don’t remember.” Blaine nodded back to the school building. “Ready to go back in? Learn the final fate of the New Directions?”

Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaine softly. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said, opening the car door.